Covid and our financial and psychological solutions
ONE of the most common queries to this column where we cover debt is the reduction of the costs of debt. Regularly we might see credit cards being used where the capital is not paid off and becomes persistent i.e. stays around for a long time. You are not alone. In February, it was reported that […]
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing – the new ballot box?
THIS week let’s go through ESG investing. Say ‘climate change’ and you may have one or two reactions: ‘What’s the point, when presidents and heads of governments/states preach about it, but fly their own gold jumbo jets and helicopters?’ Or: ‘this land, its air, water and existence is there for the ages’, would be the view shared […]
One step closer to negative interest rates. Be aware!
OVER the last year, I have covered the potential of negative interest rates on a few occasions. Whilst a few people I know laughed at the beginning of the columns about the potential of negative rates, the reality is coming home to roost after the Bank of England’s comments last week. The deputy governor has […]
Apathy – financial security’s biggest enemy
THIRTY-three years ago, when I bought my first briefcase and suit and meandered into financial planning, the world was very different than it was now. Financial products were designed for maximum profit for the provider and the customer was an after-thought, if a thought at all. The many regulators since then have sought to tidy […]
What is ESG investing?
THERE’S an area of investment called ESG . . . made up of the three words Environmental, Social and Governance. Society is standing up and taking a stance on where their money is being used/invested and disinvesting from those areas that do not match their values. For many years now, it seems the large corporates […]
Four key insurances for protecting your business financially
LAST week I covered the reasons for making a business will, and I will follow this week with how you can protect your business financially. There are four key insurances to consider: Protecting debts, or a loan; protecting a key member of your personnel that would affect profitability or the viability of a business; protecting […]
Business or family will? Defeating paralysis
‘I have been in countless situations over the last 32 years in finance, where the most undeserving person in the family or business has been expecting every penny that was available, and received nothing.’ ABOVE my late father-in-law David’s computer he had a little sign, which said: “Procrastination is my greatest sin. Maybe one day […]
Financial advice – is it worth it or not?
‘WE don’t know what we don’t know’ is a pretty powerful statement. None more so than underwater electrics, being a pilot, or perhaps an explosives disposal expert, but money is up there too. According to Ken Blanchard, under his situational leadership model, we begin any task at unconscious incompetent stage (the two-year-old beeping dads car horn […]
Forgotten or rotting child trust funds?
THE baby in our house turned 16 last week. That moment of my parent’s sigh of ‘where did all that go’ repeated itself with a slightly different tone. Faced with the thought of saving for my girls, which seemed such a long way off it was not worth thinking about, but whoosh and it’s gone. […]
The end of property investment funds
THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has at last published a discussion paper around property funds and is looking for input between now and November before making decisions. Property, as in good old bricks and mortar, has been seen as a safe investment, but problems have occurred for many reasons over the last five years. Moreover, […]
Income dilemma for investors
WHERE is an investor to go to for income these days? Deposit based, property, income funds? Negative interest rates look like a target for central banks and with cash already producing little more than a mattress, building societies have nothing to offer. Commercial property is really having a hard time, and what will the near and […]
Ask what is possible rather than obvious – negative interest rates are more than possible
Following last week’s column, what are the chances of negative interest rates? To make the best returns on our investments, we always need to be fleet of foot. If we always do what we have always done, we will always get what we’ve always got. Markets and economies have surprised as long as I can remember. […]